The Meddlers
by DalWriter
Summary: We all know why Frank can't or won't help Jamie, leaving his youngest son stuck at Patrolman. Danny finally realizes that it's up to him so he enlists Erin's help to secure a promotion to Detective for Jamie and possibly something more.
Stepping into the upscale watering hole just off Centre Street, Erin took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dim light, as she sought out her companion for the evening. She saw him raise a rocks glass in invitation to join him at the bar as she headed toward the handsome detective.

This wasn't his usual haunt. It was filled with lawyers and Wall Street types, not cops. Eyeing him suspiciously, she immediately zeroed in on the issue. "What's wrong? You don't usually want to have drinks with me and you never offer to buy, especially at a place like this, unless you want something.

"Why does something have to be wrong for me to want to spend time with my beautiful sister?" Danny countered.

Erin sat down but continued to question her brother's motives. "When the compliments come out, I know something's up."

Danny ignored her goading but signaled the bartender to bring her what he was having. The man dutifully set down a glass of straight up Irish whiskey in front of Erin and took Danny's money.

"If you're buyin', I know you want something, so spill," the perceptive lawyer demanded.

"Hey, you're the bigtime ADA. I'm just a lowly detective," Danny retorted.

"Detective First Grade and I have student loans and a daughter in college," Erin reminded him.

"On scholarship and in case you have forgotten I got two colleges to save for," Danny shot back without any heat behind his words.

"Fair enough," Erin offered an olive branch. "But that still doesn't explain what I'm doing here.

"Linda told me to stay out of it, but. . ." Danny began.

Erin cut him off, "Then whatever it is, stay out of it. Linda is a smart woman."

Scowling, Danny continued. "But somebody has to do something."

Erin looked skeptical.

Danny persisted, "You know Edie, right?"

"Eddie, who?" Erin knew a lot of Eddies.

"Janko," Danny replied like it should have been obvious. "The Kid's partner."

"You have to stop calling him that. Jamie is a Harvard educated lawyer who has been on The Job for six years with an impressive record for both felony collars and convictions," Erin felt compelled to stick up for her younger brother.

"Exactly," Danny was thrilled that Erin understood the problem. He had a grin on his face as he sipped his whiskey assuming that everything could now be fixed.

"Danny," Erin started in frustration. "You aren't making any sense."

Sighing Danny realized he was going to have to connect the dots. "Do you know how long I was on the job before I made Detective? "

When Erin didn't answer he accepted her silence as a no and continued, "Four years. Joe and Dad made it in three."

"So?" Erin interjected hoping Danny would get to the point.

"You said it yourself Jamie has been on the job for _six years_ and he has a great record," Danny reminded her. "Nobody else in his precinct can touch him, not even guys who have been at this as long as me. I looked up his stats."

Erin eyed her brother suspiciously.

"OK I called Gormley and had him pull Com Stats for the 12th."

Erin finally understood her brother's predicament. "But Dad wasn't Commissioner when you were coming up so even though he's got great stats Jamie is essentially stuck."

"Precisely. Pop was Dad's hook. Dad was my hook and I was Joe's," Danny spelled it out.

"Why can't you be Jamie's hook?" Erin still didn't understand. Despite coming from a family of cops there were still things about the internal workings of the NYPD she didn't fully comprehend. Especially when it came to testifying against corrupt cops she resented the Blue Wall of silence.

"I do what I can, but I can't do too much. It's not like I can get his name on the promotion list," Danny defended his lack of action.

Erin knew her father was an honorable man and that he was very concerned about not appearing to favor his children over the other 35,000 cops under his command. "Even if you could, one of his son's recommending the other, wouldn't exactly make Dad sign off on the bump."

"Plus, I don't exactly do things by the book," Danny admitted.

"But you do get results," Erin acknowledged. Although she didn't like it at the time, Erin had been impressed that Danny's decision to arrest those gang members for being the park after dark in violation of a city ordinance got the police probable cause to run them for outstanding warrants which eventually led them to break the case. Without Danny's initiative, they might not have gotten the leverage they needed to close Chief Kent's murder so quickly.

"Exactly, which is why we have to do something," Danny continued.

"You think I can just talk Dad into promoting Jamie?" Erin asked incredulously.

Danny deadpanned. "You are his favorite."

Erin glared at him. Throughout their childhood, that had always been Danny's preferred taunt because she was the only girl.

He knew that look well and held up a hand in mock surrender. "Kidding."

Erin's logical brain had been working overtime since Danny started this conversation. Her face fell as she reached a conclusion. "You said something about Edie. Is the promotion list out, and is she on it? Is she getting promoted over Jamie?" Erin was already upset for her brother. Jamie worked so hard and he was a great cop. The only thing holding him back was their last name.

Not to detract from Edie's accomplishments in her own right but Erin couldn't help but think that some of Edie's exceptional record was because she was partnered with Jamie and that the younger officer was riding his coattails. Erin knew that because Jamie contributed to her success while outwardly he would be happy for his rookie, he would also be heartbroken and maybe a little embarrassed if she was promoted over him.

Danny looked at Erin like she was daft. "How would I know who is on the promotion list? I'm not exactly being groomed for command."

"You could if you wanted," Erin offered.

Danny smiled banally at his sister and silently thanked her for trying but they all knew he spoke the truth. "I'm grunt. I got this far by sheer tenacity and elbow grease. I don't exactly have the diplomacy to deal with all the politics that goes on above me."

Erin couldn't contradict her brother's conclusion. He was a cop's cop but that didn't make him cut out for being Brass. He was a street cop, not a manager.

"We gotta find a way to move Jamie up the ranks," Danny elaborated.

"I'm pretty sure you are aware that I am not a cop and despite my so called hooks at 1PP it's not like I can do anything," Erin countered.

"But you have ex-cops on your payroll as investigators and they still have friends on The Job," Danny reminded her. "There must also be some cops that you haven't pissed off who can help. What about Rosselini and McCoy?"

"Let's leave my old bosses out of this, shall we," Erin instructed.

Danny gave his sister the once over. "Jamie isn't the only one turning into a hermit." His sister was a beautiful woman, smart, caring – the whole package. It pained him that she was lonely. He always thought if he could just get her EX alone, one punch, that's all he wanted.

"I am not turning into a nun!" Erin recoiled at the thought.

"Sure you're not. When was the last time you had a real date? Not drinks with me or some fancy party with Dad, but something just for you with somebody you want to get down and dirty with?" Danny probed.

"My sex life is none of your business!" Erin insisted a bit too loudly for the relatively subdued location. It caught the attention of more than one man nearby who would be willing to make her sex life his business.

Smirking Danny offered, "Use it or lose it, is all I'm sayin'."

Her meager love life was the last thing Erin wanted to discuss with her family. Even to help Jamie she wasn't going to reach out to either of her former bosses. Things with Rosselini were awkward at best after Nikki tried to fix them up that one Valentine's Day. She thought he was doing civil litigation at some white shoe firm on Park Avenue after his failed bid for Mayor. She couldn't bring herself to talk to Bobby McCoy. Truth was she wasn't over him but she knew for her sake and her family's reputation she had to stay away. The scandal involving his "Uncle", the former Commissioner of the Department of Corrections, has rocked Erin's faith in the sexy prosecutor to the core. Despite initially finding him arrogant, once she's gotten to know the brash former Brooklyn ADA and become aware of the depths of his compassion, Erin's perspective about the lawyer had changed. She couldn't deny his sex appeal or his smokin' hot body. He was sweet not to mention romantic, often bringing her roses and splurging on champagne, but he was a tiger in bed and the courtroom. The combination was invigorating. Her heart almost shattered when even after she reported him to the ethics committee he said he understood why she did it but hoped they could put it behind them and continue dating. She knew she couldn't stand being tabloid fodder and didn't want a public link between them to damage her father's career so she walked away. If she went back now, she wasn't sure if she'd be strong enough to walk away a second time.

Returning to the matter at hand, Erin surmised, "So if those guys start to request Jamie for their cases it looks like it's because of his brains, not his connections,"

"Exactly," Danny grinned. "You just be the little bird that planted the idea in their heads and then they work with the Kid and realize what a great cop he is. Word'll get around."

"And what are you going to do?" Erin wanted to know.

"I reached out to Jackie. She's doing homicide at Brooklyn north. I also called Kate but I don't really want the Kid getting involved with IAB," Danny shared.

"Grampa would have a heart attack!" Erin agreed.

"He never did like the Rat Squad," Danny confirmed with a chuckle. "Fuentes and Demarest said they'd do what they could."

"Does Jamie know about this plan? Or Dad?" Erin queried.

Signaling the bartender for another round, Danny looked at his sister like she was daft. "Put 'em on her tab this time," he called to the bartender.

"Nnnoooo," Danny answered, drawing the word out.

"And this is why Linda told you to stay out of it," Erin confirmed.

Danny hated that his sister figured that out. "Somebody's gotta do something."

"Maybe," Erin paused. "But isn't this – what you're proposing – us helping – using our connections to help Jamie - exactly what Dad wants to avoid?"

Danny shook his head. "Dad wants to avoid using _his_ connections to help any of us. There is nothing wrong with us using _our_ connections to help each other. How many times do I come to you?"

"A lot more then you should," Erin teased.

"It's the way things get done. I scratch your back. . . ."

"When have you ever scratched my back, Danny Reagan?" Erin asked.

"Quite a few there missy," Danny insisted. "All those witnesses I've had to protect, not to mention that guy who held you hostage a few years ago. One of good 'ole Jack's clients if I remember." The detective couldn't help taking a stab at his sister's EX. In Danny's book, anybody who could walk away from a fantastic woman like and Erin and a great kid like Nikki had it comin'.

"I'm still not sure," the prosecutor confessed. "Jamie is a proud man. I don't want him to think we think he can't do this on his own."

"He can't," Danny replied in all seriousness.

Erin was disappointed in Danny's lack of faith and it showed on her face.

Dismissing her concerns with a grimace, Danny declared, "Kid's a good cop, maybe even a great cop but he's handicapped here. Nobody wants to help him 'cause he's the P.C.'s kid. So the P.C.'s other kids gotta spread the word that he's worth workin' with 'cause he's actually good at The Job. If he was anybody else's kid he woudda make Detective in two."

"Does Jamie know you think he's a good cop?" Erin asked.

"Sure he does," Danny fudged.

"Did you ever tell him?" Erin gave him her best prosecutor's stare.

"Maybe not in so many words, but that's . .. . .that's not how we are. He knows. I don't need to say it," Danny announced.

Erin disagreed but decided not to press the issue. Jamie was perceptive so maybe he did know but Erin preferred things to be spelled out and clear. Instead she changed the subject, "You started this by asking about Edie. If she's not getting promoted, what does she have to do with anything?" Erin still didn't know where Officer Janko fit into all of this.

"It's been, what, five years since Sydney practically left him at the altar. The Kid's basically turning into a monk. We both know he's never gonna do anything about it while they are still partners so we gotta make them not partners. It's a win-win. He gets a promotion and a girlfriend," Danny expounded.

Erin was aghast that Danny wanted to interfere in their brother's love life. She remembered that Jamie had come to talk to her about two years ago, but even after she encouraged him to take a chance on his partner, nothing ever came from it. They still rode together and Jamie never brought it up again. Although Erin had yet to meet this woman who had seemingly captured her little brother's heart, she knew that Danny had worked with her. Erin was aware that her own daughter, Nikki, had met Officer Janko and pronounced her to be an "awesome person." "How do you even know Jamie wants to date his partner?"

Rolling his eyes, Danny insisted, "Because I've seen them in action. They bicker like a married couple. He might as well get the benefits if he's gonna get the grief."

Erin frowned at her brother. He could suck the romance out of anything.

Danny threw her a bone, "Besides, when he thinks nobody's looking, he looks at her like the sun rises and sets on her. I never saw him look at Syd like that."

"You mean the way you look at Linda?" Truth be told, Erin was somewhat envious of her brother's marriage. Yes the couple had endured some rough spots but it wasn't from a lack of love.

Danny beamed, "Guilty as charged!" Linda made him a better man and Danny wasn't afraid to admit that.

After her conversation with Jamie, Erin was glad to receive confirmation from Danny that her brother's feelings about his partner hadn't changed but she needed to know more. "What do you think about Officer Janko?"

"She's a good cop," Danny began.

From anybody else Erin would have thought that was an odd assessment for a woman they were in essence vetting to be their brother's girlfriend but from Danny she knew it was high praise indeed.

He continued. "She's had the Kid's back more than once. Jumped the leash and went all Mamma Bear protective when that punk Price beat up his girlfriend for talking to Jamie. That's what put her on Price's radar. If a punk like that could figure out that the best way to hurt Jamie was to hurt Janko, you know there's something there."

"Isn't that when she got kidnapped?" Erin recalled.

"Yeah, right after Price had people throw a Molotov cocktail through their car window when they were out on patrol," Danny supplied. "You shouldda seen the Kid when she was in danger. Wild horses couldn't of kept him away." Fiddling with his phone, Danny pulled up a video of Jamie and Edie siting on the ground next to Jamie's smashed up RMP. Jamie was embracing a disheveled blond who had silver duct tape around her neck. It looked like the tape had been pulled from out of her mouth. She was leaning against Jamie and they both appeared immensely relieved that they were back together. Jamie pressed a kiss to the blonde's forehead. The video ended when a woman's hand covered the lens. Erin correctly assumed that Baez was trying to head off the sibling rivalry and protect Janko's privacy.

Erin questioned Danny about the video with her eyes.

"It was too good to pass up," he confessed. "Besides when the Kid tries to deny how he feels, I can just show him this."

"She's very pretty," Erin observed.

"Yeah," Danny smirked. "You should see her when she hasn't just been held hostage and been in a car wreck."

Erin was surprised by Danny's admission. He hadn't really cared for Sydney. But in typical Danny fashion he had to add a joke. "Just don't tell Linda I noticed 'cause you know she's the only woman in the world."

"You're secret is safe with me," Erin assure him. Anybody who knew Danny knew that he was loyal to a fault. He would no more cheat on his wife then he'd walk into Riker's Island naked and unarmed.

"Do you really think that it will be enough? Your old partners and a few of my investigator's connections invite Jamie into their cases. Will that really get him a promotion?" Erin wondered.

"Probably not," Danny conceded. "But that's why we gotta cast a wider net. Since you seem to like this plan, I was gonna mention something to Searg- Lieutenant Gormley, and maybe Detective Baker, if you think that would be a good idea."

"I don't know they are directly tied to Dad," Erin countered.

"It was actually something that DCPI Moore said to Dad a while back that got me thinking about this. I know they try to help Dad find a balance between the Department, us and sense of duty." Danny shared. "Gormley's a good guy. He sticks up for cops. That's why Dad gave him the job in the first place. I think I can get Carver to help too."

"She's your current Lieutenant? The one that went to bat for you when you helped me with Vincent Rella," Erin confirmed.

"The one and only. When she first came on board after Gormley was promoted she point blank told me that she knew I couldn't use my hook at 1 PP but that wasn't gonna stop her from using hers. She knows how the game is played," Danny assured his sister.

Erin thought for a minute, "What about any of Joe's old friends. Do you think they would help?"

Danny swallowed the lump that formed in his throat anytime somebody mentioned their late brother. "A lot of those guys got out. You know, after what happened."

Nodding sadly, Erin sighed. She missed Joe dearly. "What about Jamie's training officer? Sargent Riznewski?"

"Renzulli," Danny corrected his sister's normally flawless memory. "No, that is a good idea. I tried to get Jamie another gig as a T.O. with Marcus, my buddy's son, who just graduated. I figured we could at least get him and Janko apart but the Kid wasn't haven't it."

"Why do you think that is?" Erin wondered. "You'd think he'd want to be free to ask her out."

"Kid's got a misguided sense of duty. Thinks he has to be on the street with her to have her back," Danny explained. "After Vinny, he's afraid to lose another partner."

Closing her eyes, Erin took a minute to breathe. Maybe their mom was right. Maybe it would have been safer for Jamie to have simply become an attorney. It might have spared him all the pain of losing another cop he cared about. But then again, if Jamie hadn't become a copy maybe they'd never know how Joe was really murdered.

"Are you gonna take this plan to Edie?" Erin asked.

"What for?" Danny hadn't really thought about mentioning this to Janko.

"Isn't she gonna notice that Jamie's getting called out on all these detectives' cases in other precincts?" Erin pointed out the obvious.

"It's usually a package deal. They come up as partners. It'll get a few more felony collars under her belt too. Girl's got spunk. She went under a few years ago on a joint op I had to run with the Feds," Danny sneered at the mention of the federal agents. "Anyway, alone and unarmed, with her wire gone, she had the presence of mind to whack a guy in the head with the back of a toilet tank."

Erin looked impressed.

"Jamie on the other hand was trying to push SWAT out of the way to be the first through the door to rescue her," Danny revealed.

"Doesn't sound like she needed saving," Erin observed.

Nodding, Danny agreed. "She's gonna go far and if we can help, all the better."

Holding her glass for a toast, Erin offered, "Here's to get Jamie a promotion!"

As he clinked his glass to Erin's Danny added, "And a girlfriend!" 


End file.
